Here is how you build these cookies from start to finish without guessing.

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Do this first. If you wait until the dough is ready, the oven will not be hot enough and your cookies will spread too much before they set.
• Chop 1 cup of roasted almonds coarsely and ½ cup finely. Keep them separate. The coarse ones go into the dough for texture. The fine ones coat the outside for crunch. If you chop them all the same size, you lose the textural contrast that makes these cookies interesting.
  1 ½ Cups Almonds
• Whisk together the egg and vanilla bean paste in a small bowl. Set it aside. Whisking them together first means the vanilla distributes evenly instead of clumping in one spot when you add it to the butter.
  1 Large Egg, 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste
• Add cold, cubed butter to your stand mixer and beat it until slightly softened but still cool. This should take about 1 minute on medium speed. If the butter warms up too much, stop and chill it for 10 minutes. Warm butter kills the structure.
  1 Cup Butter
• Add granulated sugar and salt. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. The mixture should look pale and hold soft peaks. This is where you are building the structure that keeps the cookies chewy.
  ½ Cup Granulated Sugar, 1 Teaspoon Salt
• Pour in the egg and vanilla mixture. Mix on low until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. If you skip this, you will have pockets of unmixed egg in your dough.
• Add all-purpose flour in three additions. Mix just until incorporated after each addition. Overmixing once the flour goes in creates gluten, which makes cookies tough and dense instead of tender.
  2 Cups All-Purpose flour
• Fold in the coarsely chopped almonds and 1 cup chocolate chips. Mix on low speed just until evenly distributed. Do not overwork the dough at this stage.
  1 Cup Chocolate Chips
• Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and roll them into 2-inch balls. Use a cookie scoop if you have one. Uniform size means they bake at the same rate.
• Roll each ball in the finely chopped almonds to coat the outside. Press gently so the almonds stick. This creates the crunchy crust that contrasts with the soft center.
• Gently press each ball between your palms until it is about ½ inch thick. Do not press too hard or the edges will crack. If they crack, the cookies will spread unevenly and lose their shape.
• Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through for even baking. The cookies are done when the edges are lightly browned and the centers no longer give when you press them gently.
• Sprinkle with flaky sea salt immediately after removing from the oven. The salt sticks better when the cookies are hot. It also enhances the chocolate and almond flavors instead of just tasting salty.
  Flaky Sea Salt
• Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. If you move them too soon, they will break apart because the centers are still soft.